Will this wireless MiniPCI card work in my IBM T20?

[wormbaby]

I have an old IBM T20 Thinkpad. Was wondering if this wireless card will work for my laptop or not? Here's the model of the wireless card.

Intel WiFi 802.11b Wireless MiniPCI card. Model PRO/Wireless 2100 LAN 3B MiniPCI Adapter

Please help!

Martin

 

[nweaver]

does your laptop have a minipci slot? I would go for a 2200 or 2915 (AGB card). The only laptops I found with locks are HP's

 

[wormbaby]

Yeah, it does have a mini pci slot on my laptop. I'm just getting the 2100 cause someone is selling it for $15.

 

[nweaver]

spend a little extra, the 2200 is a better card, and can be had pretty cheap. IIRC, IBM does not lock down H/W like HP, so either (as long as it's not FROM an HP) should work fine.

 

[wormbaby]

cool, thanks for the help.

 

[cmetz]

IBM definitely does lock down some systems - the BIOS will not boot if the MiniPCI card isn't on an "approved" list (basically IBM or Cisco). Do a google search on your model and see if it's one of those affected.

 

[tiap]

Originally posted by: cmetz
IBM definitely does lock down some systems - the BIOS will not boot if the MiniPCI card isn't on an "approved" list (basically IBM or Cisco). Do a google search on your model and see if it's one of those affected.

That is correct. Although there is a bios workaround.

Also you have to consider whether or not your tp has the required built in antenna for a minipci card. Won't work without it..
You may be better off getting a pcmcia card of which the older Orinco are by far the best. They also have a jack for ext antenna.

 

[mjia]

I'd check very carefully. I have an X30 which has a miniPCI slot, but does not have an antenna. Some models of the X30 do have internal antenna, but you have to know the specific model number to determine this.

When I gave the model number to IBM (when making the purchase), the CSR didn't realize that it was not supports and I bought the card. It was only after I openned it up did i realize there was no antenna. I contacted IBM again and they eventually figured out that my model did not have an antenna. Fortunately, they had UPS come pick it us and covered shipping both ways.

 

[Woodie]

I'm 99% sure that the T20 does NOT have an internal antenna. Go w/ the external wireless card.

 

[wormbaby]

thx guys, guess I'll just go with a PCMCIA Wireless card then.